HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE HOTEL AND CATERING INDUSTRY
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HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE HOTEL AND CATERING INDUSTRY
Chapter one
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
People have migrated from the beginning of recorded time, and they have needed shelter along the way. As a result, certain accommodations in the form of inns and small hotels, as well as bigger hospitality suites, arose to accommodate such demands. Hospitality is believed to be the world’s second oldest profession.
Following the civil war in 1970, there was a virtual absence of hotels, particularly well-known names in the worldwide hotel industry in Nigeria. Nigeria’s hotel business first began to flourish in the late 1970s, amid the oil boom.
In recent years, however, Nigeria’s hosting of several major international events such as the Common Wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), All African Games, Carnivals, and meetings
which included the visits of two American presidents and other presidents and their entourages, has resulted in the construction of several more hotels in Nigeria, particularly in major cities.
This growth is not limited to Nigeria; for example, in 1979, the American food service industry had 110 billion dollars in busing for meals away from home and was the third largest industry in the country in terms of gross retail sales;
it employs approximately 6 million people and had an average of 125. 42 employees in 1995, but still requires many additional employees each year.
Nigeria has since experienced several significant improvements and changes in the relative improvement of the level of living for the vast majority of working people. These advances are the consequence of a variety of reasons, including increased national productivity, stronger economic growth, more enlightened management, and pressure from trade unions.
The hotel and catering business has made significant contributions to the overall growth in standard of living by providing basic and leisure services, employment, and wealth development.
Hotel development in any country is a complex process that necessitates extensive planning before, during, and after construction. In Nigeria, inadequate pre-planning has led to hotels struggling to meet changing customer needs, including shortages in major cities such as Lagos. Nonetheless, tourism, particularly the hotel and catering industry, is regarded as a potential growth area in Nigeria.
Despite technological advancements, many employees in the business have unequal working circumstances compared to those elsewhere.
Improvements in the catering sector itself. The delayed rate of improvement in the industry’s employment conditions can be attributed to a reluctance among proprietors and managers to modify labour wages to reflect industry advancements. Trade unions have limited impact in most industries, as the majority of workers are not interested in pursuing a career in the field.
The industry’s working conditions are often unappealing. There are inherent issues that cannot be avoided, such as working late into the evenings and on weekends. Other issues, however, can be eliminated or decreased via concerted managerial action.
Problems include personnel relying on gratuities, lack of knowledge about pay calculations and service costs, and management’s reluctance to include employees in workplace decisions.
Management should therefore devise a strategy for bringing out the best in these categories of undervalued individuals of our workforce.
Many organisations in Nigeria provide food services and, by definition, can be classified as hotels. By 2008, it is predicted that Nigeria would have approximately 550 hotels, inns, and commercial guest houses, employing between 10 and 250 people depending on their size. In 2003, an estimated 418 – 900 individuals were employed worldwide.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
In a sector in Africa that appears to have been growing steadily over the years, competence is predicted to be limited, which is problematic.
The study intends to explore these and other issues, and to provide recommendations as needed. The problem of a lack of experienced hands in this third-world business appears to be caused by management’ reluctance to train and employ capable personnel.
Another issue is that most workers in the business lack clear mechanisms through which to voice their complaints and grievances, as management typically suppresses unionisation activity.
The third issue is how workers’ basic compensation and benefits are commensurate with their dedication and efforts. Employers are less responsive to economic changes in terms of adjusting pay and benefit packages in line with economic growth
as is the case in most developing countries today, including Nigeria, leaving them with employees whose dedication to work declines, resulting in a significant decrease in their morale and motivation to work.
We are also dealing with an atmosphere in which employees are frequently kept in the dark about information they have a right to know. For example, payment.
The process of determination, the criteria for promotion, and so on are all subject to management’s whims. This is a problem.
The final issue is that most people believe that working in the business is a last resort when they cannot find a “better” career. This inhibits young people from pursuing a career in the hotel and catering industry.
After identifying some of the difficulties, this study will attempt to find potential answers to some of them.
1.3 THE GOAL OF THE STUDY
To that purpose, this study seeks to analyse the reasonableness of all entitlements due or payable to the segment of the labour force that works entirely or partially in the hotel and catering industry. The study’s aims are as follows.
To analyse the reasonableness of other entitlements and benefits that are not included in the basic payment.
To determine the extent to which compensation is comparable with employees’ efforts in this industry.
To determine how closely this industry’s salary and perks compare to those in related industries.
Examine the hotel’s industrial relations and their impact on worker wellbeing.
To determine the influence of ineffective payment and employee benefit schemes, or their absence entirely, on employee performance.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions will be asked:
To what extent are hotel and catering sector employees satisfied and motivated by their pay?
To what extent are the working conditions available in this industry satisfactory in terms of worker effort?
How involved is management in the training and development of their employees?
What extent does management support the creation of unions?
To what extent is management sensitive to economic developments in terms of adjusting payment and benefit packages to reflect economic indicators?
1.5 Research Hypothesis
The hypothesis of this study work contains the following:
HO: Employees’ pay packets and benefits do not reflect their work.
HA: Employees’ salary and benefits are proportional to their efforts.
HO: Management does not encourage employees to unionise.
HA: Management pushes its employees to unionise.
HO: The payment and benefits provided to employees have a negative impact on their morale and motivation to work.
HA: The payment and benefits provided to employees have no detrimental impact on their morale or motivation to work.
1.6 The Significance of the Study
This study is important for the following reasons:
To dispel the myth held by certain hotel managers in the country that employee unionisation will cause them greater problems.
To highlight the need of having pay correspond with efforts and output, given that the majority of workers in this business seek psychological needs but operate in conditions presumably reserved for self-actualized members of society.
Ability to assist restore the industry to its rightful role as a major component of the economy and a potential growth sector.
1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study
An attempt to evaluate human resource management in the hotel and catering business would be far too broad and comprehensive. As a result, the researcher believes that the scope of this study should be limited to the administration of employee benefits and welfare schemes, i.e. all other entitlements due to employees other than payment, which may act as motivation for the staff of the organisations in the industry.
The study is limited to the complete personnel of the Royal Palace Hotel in Enugu. However, the study’s conclusions will apply to Nigeria’s hotel and catering industry. The study’s limitations include limited research on the subject and management’s resistance to inquiries.
1.8 Definition of Terms
Hotel- An establishment owned by the proprietor that provides food and drinks, as well as sleeping accommodations, to anyone who is in a fit state to accept them.
Fraudulent hotel- A hotel that accommodates individuals, primarily travellers, while they are temporarily away from home.
Residential hotels are hotels that offer full apartment-style living facilities, as opposed to simple quest rules that do not allow for cooking or eating within individual units.
Airport hotel- This facility caters to travellers who utilise the airport.
Salaried employees are typically managers and senior supervisors who are paid monthly through a bank account.
Full-time operators often work 30-45 hours per week and are guaranteed a monthly cash salary.
Resort hotels can include natural features such as lakes or beach locations into their design.
Casuals are workers that work on a session basis, such as in the evening or afternoon, with no certainty of future work and are often paid in cash for one session.
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